902 Specialist Orthopaedic Education
Degenerative scoliosis
Symptoms
Scoliosis means abnormal lateral curvature in the spine. There are different kinds of scoliosis. While the others kinds presents mainly in childhood and adolescent with purely deformity, the degenerative scoliosis mainly affects the elderly population by not only deformity but also neurological symptoms. It is regarded as the most severe stage of spine degeneration.
Clinical signs
Detailed clinical consultation, examination would identify the functional impairment and neurological deficit. Standing and dynamic x-ray examination measures the deformity and instability. MRI scan helps to precisely locate the area of nerve compression. Other examinations like CT scan and nerve root block may be necessary in some cases.
Exercise
Physiotherapy is an effective way to strengthen your muscles. The strong muscles can help to maintain a correct position of the spine. Low-impact activities can increase overall fitness without straining the back.
Treatment
In some cases, the symptoms can be relieved and activities of daily living can be maintained by appropriate pharmacologic treatment. For patients with their daily function severely affected despite of non-surgical treatment, surgical decompression and reconstruction can be considered after taking into the accounts the pros and cons in particular patient’s medical co-morbidities.
Surgery
The purpose of the surgery is to reduce pressure on the nerve, stabilize and improve the spine alignment by instrumentation and fusion. 3D computer navigation helps to reduce the difficulty and improve the precision of screw insertion in the deformed areas.
The information provided on this website are for educational purposes only. Please consult your physicians before considering treatment or for detailed medical advice.